{"id":103936,"date":"2025-03-31T08:14:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-31T12:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jurivision.ca\/the-public-service-and-elected-leaders-partners-at-the-core-of-government\/"},"modified":"2025-03-31T13:22:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T17:22:14","slug":"the-public-service-and-elected-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jurivision.ca\/en\/the-public-service-and-elected-leaders\/","title":{"rendered":"The Public Service and Elected Leaders: Partners at the Core of Government"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Canada\u2019s federal election campaign is officially underway: at the end of April 2025, Canadians will head to the polls to elect a new government. While political leaders may come and go, one constant remains at the heart of the Canadian system \u2014 a professional, impartial, and non-partisan public service.<\/p>\n\n

Made up of career officials, the federal public service is tasked with supporting governments of all political stripes. It carries out their priorities and ensures the uninterrupted delivery of public services to Canadians.<\/p>\n\n

Working behind the scenes, public servants are expected to demonstrate discretion and impartiality. Their role is to provide expert, evidence-based advice, independent of the government\u2019s political leanings. This neutrality is a cornerstone of Canada\u2019s parliamentary democracy, helping to maintain stability, continuity, and public trust in the institutions of the state.<\/p>\n\n

But how does this collaboration between elected officials and the public servants who implement their policies actually work?<\/p>\n\n

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\u201cYou need a constant dialogue if you want to move a bill forward, launch a spending program, or decide how to respond to an event.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

So explains Michael Wernick, former Clerk of the Privy Council of Canada. According to him, the Prime Minister and federal ministers rely on two essential pillars to make decisions:<\/p>\n\n